Turnpike stops yield millions of dollars worth of marijuana

5 arrested; drugs valued at $4.1M

The drugs, weighing 907 pounds and worth $4,117,780, according to the Highway Patrol.

Millions of dollars worth of marijuana was found during two related traffic stops on the Ohio Turnpike, troopers said.

The drugs, weighing 907 pounds and valued at $4,117,780 by the Ohio Highway Patrol, were found Wednesday morning.

A trooper said a Subaru was driving too closely behind a motor home and the motor home was following too closely the vehicle in front of it. At 9:04 a.m, the trooper tried to stop both vehicles in Lake Township, but only the Subaru stopped. During the stop, the trooper smelled marijuana and saw drugs on the driver’s pants, officials said. A search of the vehicle yielded $9,720 in cash.

Officials determined the motor home and the Subaru were traveling together. The motor home was found at 9:33 a.m. at a service plaza. Troopers searched the vehicle and found the 907 pounds of marijuana and $4,188 in cash. Five people were arrested.

In the Subaru were Frankie Junior Layz, 22, and William Luciano, Jr., 33, both of Rochester, N.Y.; in the motor home were Justin Gould, 27, of Rochester, Jimmy Pross, Jr., 35, of Charlotte, and Jose Manzanares, 36, of Houston. All are charged with possession of marijuana, trafficking in marijuana, money laundering, and possession of criminal tools, and were held Thursday night in the Wood County jail.

A sixth suspect, with his 7-year-old son, fled when troopers stopped the motor home. The suspect was expected to surrender.

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